


and your shadow, flat on the wall

by SoulJelly



Category: Code Lyoko
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 10:23:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13292832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulJelly/pseuds/SoulJelly
Summary: Back when they had less important things to worry about. Jeremie and Ulrich, pre- 'XANA Awakens'.





	and your shadow, flat on the wall

**Author's Note:**

> Spontaneous updates depending how many ideas I have for these two. Trying to stay canon-compliant but may veer into non-canon or AU or whatever. Feel free to leave prompts if you like where it's going or want to see something in particular. Thank you for reading! x
> 
> (Fic title is from _Visible World_ by Richard Siken which is a delightful poem.)

There is no more beautiful sight than Jeremie Belpois, backlit by the dying sun - not when Ulrich is sprinting through a corridor one slow late afternoon in escape from an all-too-familiar annoyance.

He catches sight of him, feather-blond hair caught by the light _just so_ , sitting at his usual desk in their empty Chemistry classroom, nose-deep in a book.

Ulrich pauses, a fraction of a second, then pushes the door open.

“Stern-“ Jeremie’s eyes are wide with surprise behind the thick pane of his glasses.

“Hey Belpois – uh, listen, no time to explain, just help me out a sec, okay?”

Without another word, Ulrich slides beneath the desk. In the cramped space he squeezes his eyes shut, cheek digging into Jeremie’s bony knees. A slither of a gap reveals to him Jeremie’s wide blue eyes and sharply raised eyebrow, the mild irritation at having his quiet reading spot interrupted. Ulrich merely presses a finger to his lips in a plea of silence, and moments later the telltale click of shoes along the corridor brings his pursuer into view.

“Oh, you,” says Sissi.

The alcove of the desk hides him from view, but Ulrich doesn’t need to see; he expects she’ll be poised in the doorframe, hands on hips, swishing sleek black hair over her shoulder. Overly dressed, trying to catch him and rope him into a date, wearing a too-tight dress and ridiculous boots.

“Belpois,” Sissi continues, haughtily.

“Delmas.”

Jeremie’s reply is a curt one-syllable. Ulrich stifles a laugh at the bluntness of it, the way Jeremie simply returns to his book without further comment.

Ulrich can almost _feel_ the outrage in Sissi’s demeanour. Her voice drips with undisguised annoyance as she speaks again.

“I’m looking for Ulrich. Ulrich Stern. Have you seen him?”

For a brief, paralysing second, Ulrich thinks Belpois might tire of the game and sell him out. But there is merely a whispering rustle of paper as Jeremie deliberately turns a page and says,

“No, not at all.”

“Are you sure?” presses Sissi. “He came down this hallway, and I…”

She trails off, her hope that Jeremie will elaborate to fill the silence falling entirely flat. Ulrich is sure Belpois must be able to feel the wideness of his grin where his face is pressed against the other boy’s leg. 

“Oh. Well, okay then. If you’re sure.”

“Mmm-hmm,” is Jeremie’s only reply.  
  
Without so much as a ‘thank you’, Sissi spins on her heel and leaves. There’s a thud as she pulls the door closed behind her with unnecessary force.

They wait for a few long moments, Ulrich only trusting himself to breathe when her footsteps have entirely faded. He peeks up at Jeremie, who up until the point of Sissi’s departure has kept an entirely straight face.

Now he looks down, his eyes meet Ulrich's, and beams, face flushed with elation and amusement. A brief bout of laughter follows, spilling out from behind Jeremie's hands.

Ulrich wonders for a brief moment how many jokes the seemingly friendless boy is privy to. He shrugs away the thought, taking the hand now offered to him and allows himself to be pulled out from beneath the desk, just slightly scraping his head against the roof of it as he does so. The other boy’s hand is warm, and Ulrich’s just run in from the cold outside, and maybe he holds on a little longer than he needs to, and maybe that’s just a little part of the stupid grin on his face.

“Thanks Belpois, I owe you one.” 

Jeremie shrugs, carefully recomposed behind his book, still smiling.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Sure. Say uh, mind if I hang out here a while? I feel like this is the last place she’ll look for me, now that she thinks I’m not here. Besides, some company might be nice.” 

There’s the ghost of bashful surprise in Jeremie’s expression, hidden by the quick adjustment of his glasses. “If you really want to, that’s fine, I guess." 

Ulrich takes the seat beside him and smiles. 

“So, what are you reading?”


End file.
